Featured in our gallery this month are three artists, Kelly Rogers, Sarah K. Coffman, and Reagan Kloiber.

Kelly Rogers is an Oklahoma City based artist who creates embroidered paintings. Her latest body of work is “Sketches from a Family Album,” inspired by both her collection of antique family photos, and sketches of her family as it is today; these images connect her current family’s story to its historical roots.

Sarah K. Coffman works with a wide variety of mediums, including ink, paint, paper, wood, thread, leather, and found objects, and loves experimenting with woodburning. Although she grew up in Austin, and spent most of her adult life in Brooklyn, she currently resides and works in Oklahoma.

Reagan Kloiber uses watercolors and ink on fabric placed on embroidary hoops, then adds stitching to the final work. She describes her latest body of work as beautiful faces with too many eyes, wide open toward truth, wearing tiny crowns of Earth (flowers, insects, spiders) to represent all the simple things that are right in front of us that few people take the time to pay attention too in the hustle and bustle of the media age.

Join us Sunday, April 3rd during our regular business hours, 11am-5pm for our special art preview, preceding our regularly scheduled Artist Reception on Thursday, April 8th from 6-9pm, and the 2nd Friday LIVE on the Plaza from 7-11pm.

ARTIST QUESTIONS

Kelly Rogers

What is your medium/process?I create embroidered paintings, using my sketches as a pattern. I “draw” each piece with a needle and thread, and then finish the work with drawing inks. I am inspired by the colors of Oklahoma’s landscapes and sunsets, and incorporate them into my color palette for these pieces.

Where are you from?Oklahoma City

How would you describe your latest body of work?My latest body of work is “Sketches from a Family Album,” inspired by both my collection of antique family photos, and sketches of my family as it is today; these images connect my current family’s story to its historical roots.

What inspires you?I am inspired by survival stories, human compassion and resilience, and I have a soft spot for the underdog. I work in a non-profit call center where part of my role involves hearing stories of loss, hope, and survival. I am always amazed at what people are capable of- in the best and worst sense of that expression. In my work, I reach for those stories of hope, true grit, and triumph over adversity.

How did you get started?I’ve been an artist since I could color and draw as a child; my professional career unfolded while I was in college, through participation in local exhibitions and arts organizations. Volunteering truly connected me with OKC’s arts community.

What are your goals for the future?My goal is to make art that reflects to its audience the beauty and power of their own survival. I want my art to say, “I know how it feels, and I know you can make it through this.”

What advice do you have to artists?Don’t stop; reach for what you don’t feel “ready” for. Create your own contribution to what you want to see in your community, and know that our world is crying out for art made from love.

Sarah K. Coffman

What is your medium/process?I work with all kinds of mediums. Ink, paint, paper, wood, thread, or whatever I find lying around. With my woodburning tool for instance, I have found that you can burn more than just wood. I've done leather, vinyl records and even deer skulls.

Where are you from?I grew up in Austin, Texas, but have spent most of my alleged adult life in Brooklyn.

How would you describe your latest body of work?I don't know that I can answer that well. It's what comes from trying to honestly figure out who you are and taking risks to love people who it turns out could never love you back.

What inspires you?Willie Nelson, old people, good stories, solitude, trash and abandoned spaces.

How did you get started?I don't remember a beginning. Since I've known me, I've just been making things.

What are your goals for the future?To get the hell out of Oklahoma, ride an elephant, and give myself chances to be seen.

What advice do you have to other artists?Ignore as many rules as possible.

Reagan Kloiber

What is your medium/process?I use watercolors and ink on fabric placed on embroidary hoops. I also add thread and stitching to the final work.

Where are you from?I am Oklahoma born and raised

How would you describe your latest body of work?I wanted to create beautiful faces with too many eyes, wide open toward truth wearing tiny crowns of Earth (flowers, insects, spiders) to represent all the simple things that are right in front of us that few people take the time to pay attention too in the hustle and bustle of the media age.

What inspires you?I am always inspired by opposite things. dark and light, hard and soft, color vs black and white, full and empty, happiness/sadness, and making non­pretty things pretty and vice versa. I am inspired by nature and heartache.

How did you get started?Ive been an artist since I was little but never took it seriously until the last 3­4 years. A few significant life incidents occurred (thankfully) that led me back to art.

What are your goals for the future?Never again stop creating.

What advice do you have to artists?Be open to all things/experiences and practice constantly!